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CVS Pharmacy

People might soon be able to grab their prescriptions, a bag of potato chips and pick up soap as they head into a new therapy service at their local CVS.

The nation’s pharmacy retail giant has started a new service at several of their stores across the U.S. — offering both walk-in and scheduled sessions for mental health treatment. These appointments are available beyond typical daytime hours, including nights and weekends.

According to a spokesperson with CVS Health, the company began adding licensed clinical social workers trained in cognitive behavioral therapy to 13 locations in the Houston, Philadelphia and Tampa metro areas in January of this year.

These providers will offer mental health assessments, referrals and personalized counseling either in person or via telehealth through MinuteClinics inside CVS HealthHUB store locations.

The spokesperson said the company is planning on expanding to 34 locations this spring. 

“We anticipate expanding mental health services into additional markets in the coming months,” the representative said in an email. “We expect to have more detailed information soon.”

Rite Aid and Walmart have started similar programs, too. 

Dr. Adam Gonzalez.
Photo from Stony Brook Medicine

And although MinuteClinics and the like are not available in New York state yet, Dr. Adam Gonzalez, director of behavioral health and founding director of the Mind-Body Clinical Research Center at the Stony Brook Renaissance School of Medicine, said this could potentially be a good day if such facilities were to come close to home. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about many challenges and disruptions to our way of life,” he said. “We have seen an increase in depression, anxiety, increased stress overall and grief responses. Recent mental health data from the CDC also highlights an increase in mental health problems, especially among young adults, and importantly, unmet mental health needs.”

According to Gonzalez, a recent CDC report indicates that during August 2020 through this February “the percentage of adults with recent symptoms of an anxiety or a depressive disorder increased from 36.4% to 41.5%, and the percentage of those reporting an unmet mental health care need increased from 9.2% to 11.7%. Increases were largest among adults aged 18–29 years and those with less than a high school education.” 

“There is a great need for mental health awareness and treatment at this time,” Gonzalez added. “A silver lining of the pandemic has been the expansion and use of telehealth as a platform for treatment, allowing patients to participate in mental health treatment from the comfort of their home. However, a limiting factor for accessing care is the availability of providers.”

He said throughout the pandemic, SBU’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health saw a great increase in the need for mental health care — so large, it developed a call center.

“Throughout the pandemic we have consistently been receiving over 7,000 calls per month,” the director said. “Evaluating our outpatient data for the three months before the pandemic and the current last three months, there has been a 50% increase in number of visits scheduled for outpatient mental health services. Of note, the number of visits scheduled is limited by the number of providers available to provide services.”

With the need for mental health providers continuing to grow, Gonzalez said additional services — like the ones at the CVS pharmacy chain — could be helpful.

“I think having services available at CVS could help with normalizing mental health treatment and increasing access to care,” he said. “The more mental health service options available to the community, the better. One consideration is the type and quality of care to be delivered. Although it is important to increase access, we also want to make sure that the quality of care being delivered is high.”

But if and when the retailers open up shop on Long Island, Stony Brook Medicine is working on finding ways to reduce feelings of hopelessness and distress. 

“We are actively working on investigating various methods of delivering care to help with increasing access to treatment and addressing the mental health needs of the community,” Gonzalez said. 

These methods include expanding group-based services, utilizing a collaborative care model that involves working closely with primary care physicians and behavioral health care managers for medication management, and utilizing skills-based single-session interventions. 

“We have been working with Dr. Jessica Schleider in the Department of Psychology at Stony Brook University to implement and study a problem-solving single-session intervention,” he added. “Initial data indicates that these sessions help with improving agency — motivation for change — and reduce feelings of hopelessness and distress.”

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Ward Melville Heritage Organization trustees wave to the students. Photo by Rita J. Egan

The Ward Melville Heritage Organization has created a virtual bridge across the Long Island Sound for students on both sides of the waterway.

Patricia Paladines holds a horseshoe crab up to show the students who viewed the presentation through Zoom. Photo by Rita J. Egan

On Tuesday, June 1, WMHO unveiled Long Island Sound Connections, its new STEM and conservation program at the Erwin J. Ernst Marine Conservation Center on Trustees Road by West Meadow Creek. Students from Selden and Bridgeport, Connecticut, participated from their classrooms via Zoom, while WMHO trustees members and grant donors looked on from the center. Dr. Robert Park from the Fullwood Foundation, one of the donors, also joined virtually.

Students from Selden Middle School in Michelle Miller’s sixth-grade science class and Julianne Biagioli’s seventh-grade science class in the Bridgeport school district discussed their studies in the June 1 presentation. The students were able to show how urban and suburban communities have contrasting situations, where the Selden students have the 88-acre preserved wetlands of West Meadow Creek only miles away from them, and the Bridgeport students live in a city where former wetlands were developed decades ago.

The organization’s virtual, cooperative learning is led by Deborah Boudreau, WMHO’s director of education.

“It’s an opportunity for students to research their local Long Island ecosystems, and share what they learned about those ecosystems to learn how we can best preserve all the animals and plants that depend on these ecosystems,” Boudreau said.

She told the students during the June 1 class that the teachers wanted to hear from them as much as possible.

“I want to say that this program is very much about the students and your data and your research and your ideas,” she said. “You are the future of our wetlands. You are the ones that are going to carry that forward.”

During the presentation, students compared findings about the wetlands as well as species that would normally be found in waterways including lobsters and horseshoe crabs, which Bridgeport students found recently in mudflats.

Naturalist and environmentalist Patricia Paladines, from Setauket, was on hand to provide a presentation on horseshoe crabs for the students. She found one in West Meadow Creek June 1 that was injured and explained it would heal. Paladines told students, while holding the crab for them to see, that a lot of people are afraid of its long tail, but it doesn’t sting.

“A lot of people are afraid of them because they have this long tail here, which is called a telson, but it’s not to hurt you — it’s not to protect itself, it’s a rudder,” she said, adding that the tail was moving at the time because the crab wanted to turn over from its back to being right-side up.

The program will continue throughout the month with various schools participating where they will compare and contrast data such as water salinization, marine species inventory and more.

Gloria Rocchio, WMHO president, said the program was made possible by grants from the Fullwood Foundation, Investors Foundation and Teachers Federal Credit Union.

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Photo from Samantha Schwab

The goal is to help people in need and break the stigma surrounding “that time of the month.”

Samantha Schwab, a 17-year-old junior at Comsewogue High School decided last year that she wanted to become involved with a national group that has a very specific cause — menstrual products.

Her Drive is a Chicago-based nonprofit that provides bras, menstrual care and general hygiene products to people in need in an effort to combat period and hygiene poverty.

“I love the idea around it,” she said. “We have no idea how [limited access to personal and hygiene products] impacts people in our community.”

Photo from Samantha Schwab

From May 7 through June 9, people can donate products to the pink-colored box inside the Comsewogue Public Library — located at 170 Terryville Road in Port Jefferson Station.

Accepted donations include pads, tampons, individually wrapped pantyliners, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, toothpaste, masks, baby wipes, diapers, bras and socks. 

Schwab said this is the very first local drive for the organization on all of Long Island. So far, she has received 6,000 menstrual products and 300 general hygiene products from the one location.

“I am overwhelmed by the generosity in the community,” she said. “My house is currently filled with boxes, and it makes me feel good to know that we’re helping people in need.”

She said that she will soon be dispersing the products among several local nonprofits, including Give Kids Hope Inc., in Port Jefferson Station.  

People who want to donate to the local Her Drive efforts can drop off products to the library or send Schwab a package using her Amazon Wishlist here.

 

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A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Maria Hoffman
At the end of the ceremony, photo below left, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) took time out to take a photo with Post 3054’s new Post Commander Reanna Fulton, second from right. Photo by Maria Hoffman
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler
A scene from Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054's Memorial Day ceremony in East Setauket. Photo by Beverly C. Tyler

For the second year in a row, the Memorial Day parade could not be held along Main Street  and Route 25A in Setauket due to COVID-19 guidelines.

However, Veterans of Foreign War Post 3054 organized a wreath-laying ceremony at Setauket Veterans Memorial Park May 31. Veterans, elected officials and residents memorialized those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country.

At the end of the ceremony, photo below left, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook), county Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) and state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) took time out to take a photo with Post 3054’s new Post Commander Reanna Fulton, second from right.

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Above, owner Trisha Larsen cuts the ribbon.
Above, owner Trisha Larsen cuts the ribbon.
Above, from left, Three Village Chamber President Charlie Lefkowitz, Leg. Kara Hahn, Pedego Stony Brook owners Martin and Trisha Larsen, Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Councilman Jonathan Kornreich and Three Village Chamber Executive Director Jane Taylor with Certificates of Congratulations
Electric bikes outside Pedego.

By Heidi Sutton

The Three Village Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting and grand opening celebration for Pedego Electric Bikes Stony Brook in Setauket on May 24. The event was attended by New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn, Town of Brookhaven Councilman Jonathan Kornreich and Pedego Director of Business Development Cynthia Newcombe along with members of the chamber and community. 

Owned by Trisha and Martin Larsen, the shop is located at 690 Route 25A at the corner of Bennetts Road in Setauket and is the first Pedego Electric Bike store on Long Island. 

“Our community loves to get outdoors — we have so many parks and cultural locations and art institutions … and there’s a lot of history here and a lot of beauty and there is no better way to experience all that than on a bicycle. We are so excited for you — we are thrilled as a business community and a community to have you here and we are looking forward to all you are able to do,” said Leg. Hahn.

“With everyone’s help, we are going to make Pedego Stony Brook successful and hopefully bring a lot of tourism and awareness to this area,” said Trisha Larsen. “We have self-guided tours, group rides, rentals and site sales. Please stop in.”

“At Pedego, we’re committed to inspiring connection and adventure within each of our communities,” said Cynthia Newcomb, Director of Business Development at Pedego. “We’re a people-oriented, fun-focused company, which is why [this store] is the perfect addition to our Pedego family. We look forward to not only providing Pedego Stony Brook with the best e-bikes in the world, but also cultivating a community that brings out the best in each other.”

Pedego Stony Brook joins the over 160 locally-owned Pedego stores throughout the United States. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sundays, closed Mondays. For more information, call 631-201-4283 or visit pedegoelectricbikes.com/east-setauket.

Photos by Heidi Sutton

 

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METRO photo

With the Memorial Day weekend behind us, it’s time to enjoy outdoor get-togethers such as barbecues and lazy days on the beach. Unfortunately, this time of year also means more drivers under the influence on our roads and more inexperienced ones, too. 

When attending a party, it’s pretty simple. If you plan on drinking alcohol or ingesting other substances that can impair your senses, make sure you have a plan. There is no excuse for driving under the influence. Once upon a time, someone who planned on drinking needed to have a designated driver, plan to sleep over at the place where they were partying or call a taxi. Sometimes many partiers found themselves with a designated person who decided they would have a little fun, too. Or, with no room to sleep at the house where the party was held or a taxi that never showed up, they then got behind the wheel of a car and took off. Nowadays, with phone apps to order car services such as Uber or Lyft, there’s no excuse for driving under the influence of any substance.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2019, 10,142 people lost their lives due to drunk-driving crashes in the U.S. That’s 10,142 lives that were lost unnecessarily. But there is even more to watch out for on the road during those hot months besides drunk drivers. 

Memorial Day to Labor Day has become known as the “100 deadliest days” of the year as the teen driver death rate increases. According to AAA, from the unofficial start of summer to its unofficial end, there are “more fatal crashes per day, on average, involving teen drivers compared to the rest of the year.”

A study by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found more than 7,000 teens died in such crashes from 2010-19 in the U.S. In New York state, during the same period, 473 teen drivers died in car crashes. Risk factors include teens lack of driving skills and experiences behind the wheel and the unstructured time that summer brings with kids out of school and not having as many activities such as sports and clubs. There are also other risk factors such as texting while driving, running red lights, driving aggressively and not wearing a seat belt.

What can one do when they’re traveling the roads besides watching out for drivers who are weaving in or out or running red lights? The best thing is to set an example of good driving habits on the road, especially when young people are in the passenger seats, which means cinching that seat belt, no texting or talking on the phone, no eating or drinking while steering.

And to play a part in keeping impaired drivers off the road, of course, when you’re hosting a party, make arrangements for your guests who will be indulging themselves.

The summertime should be time for fun, not for tears. Let’s keep the roads in our community safe, not only for the next few months but all year long. It just takes making a few wise decisions.

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Pixabay photo

By Daniel Dunaief

Daniel Dunaief

I’m not much of a planner. I put together professional plans, creating a schedule for stories I’d like to research and write, and I coordinate calls and meetings all week, but I don’t tend to go through the calendar to figure out when to visit socially with friends and family or to attend cultural events.

This summer, however, I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to look at the calendar and consider a wide range of activities that would have been difficult or impossible a year ago.

I’m delighted to plan to visit with my extended family. I haven’t seen my brothers in over 19 months. I have visited with them on the phone and zoom, but that’s not nearly the same thing as seeing them in person, throwing a ball with them, flying a kite off the beach or just sitting on the couch and having a free-flowing conversation.

I am also delighted to consider planning a trip to museums. On one of our first dates, my wife and I went to the Metropolitan Museum, where we wandered slowly through the exhibits, continuing to build on our relationship even as we studied the artifacts left behind by the generations that fell in love and married hundreds of years earlier. I recall wandering through those wide hallways close to a quarter of a century ago, listening to my wife’s stories and delighting in laughter that, even now, provides validation and meaning to each moment.

I am hoping to travel to Washington, D.C., this summer, to see the air and space museum. Each of the planes hovers overhead, and the space capsules from the early days of the NASA program are inspirational, giving me a chance to picture the world from a different vantage point, seeing the shimmering blue waters that cover the Earth.

I have watched planes fly overhead throughout the pandemic, but I haven’t ventured to the airport or onto a plane. I’m looking forward to the opportunity that flight provides to turn trips that would take over 10 hours into one- or two-hour flights.

Visiting family, friends and strangers in different areas, eating foods that are different and unfamiliar and experiencing life outside of the small circles in which we’ve restricted ourselves opens up the possibilities for the summer and beyond.

My son can prepare for the start of college and my daughter for a return to college with the hope that they can enjoy more of the academic, social, extracurricular and community service experiences that they imagined when they envisioned these years of growth, development and, hopefully, independence.

I spoke with a scientist recently who told me that the inspiration for a work he’d just completed came from a conversation he had during a conference a few years ago. He had been sitting in an auditorium, listening to a speech, when he and a stranger exchanged thoughts about the implications of the work. From that interaction, he started a new project that became a productive and central focus of his research efforts. As soon as conferences are back on the calendar, he hopes to return to the road, where such unexpected and unplanned conversations can trigger inspiration.

To be sure, I recognize that the realities of travel and planning don’t always dovetail with the hopes and expectations. I recently visited with our extended community at a social gathering, where I stood downwind of someone who wore so much cologne that I couldn’t taste the food I was eating.

I’m sure there’ll also be lines, traffic jams and literal and figurative turbulence as I leave our home cocoon. 

Still, this summer, I’ll be grateful for the opportunity to do so much, including and especially, the chance to plan.

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Graduation(Darin Reed photo.)

By Leah S. Dunaief

Leah Dunaief

Congratulations are in order for this past weekend’s activities. First and most importantly, my youngest grandchild graduated from high school last Friday. What a lovely milestone for him, one not to be missed by us. 

We decided to drive there, the 11-hour trip notwithstanding, rather than deal with the inevitable crowds and COVID risks and restrictions at the airport. But so much more had to be factored into our plans. Why, I wondered, would a school arrange for graduation during Memorial Day weekend? This was an especially puzzling question as reports were warning of major travel activity by car and plane. Over 37 million people were expected to venture more than 50 miles away from home, a 60% increase above last year, with a big post-pandemic breakout looming.

Clearly this situation called for some careful strategizing. First we called and secured reservations at a hotel near the school. This was going to be more than a one-day trip. That was the easiest part. Then we decided to start right after work on Tuesday evening since that would probably beat the traffic leaving the Island for the weekend. We would drive as far as we could before stopping at a roadside lodging for the night, which we figured would give us a good head start on the trip for the following day.

Next we thought to pick up some sandwiches for dinner in the car on our way out of town. We ordered those in advance, as well as the much loved chocolate chip cookies from the local bakery to bring my family. And we would stop for a package that a friend, who lives near my grandson, requested we bring to her.

We followed the plan.

After five hours of night driving with blissfully no traffic, we saw a sign for a familiar hotel at the next exit and drove off the highway feeling quite ready for a good sleep. Our first problem was that, in our haze, we couldn’t immediately find the hotel. After a bit of exploring and a U-turn, we did and pulled into a parking lot that looked ominously full. When we tried the front door, it was locked.

Fortunately, as we stood there in a fatigued stupor, a worker at the hotel came along and opened the door for us. She then called to the clerk behind the front desk, who had appeared from nowhere, and who told us what we feared: no rooms available. She directed us to the next hotel down the highway.

“But wait,” the first worker said as she scooted around behind the desk, “let me look at the register.” After several minutes, she found an unfulfilled reservation for a room on the fourth floor and offered it to us. Relief!

The next day, we happily arrived at our destination by mid-afternoon. I don’t have to tell you how wonderful it was to come together with family we had not seen in over a year, to hug them and note how the children had grown, and talk with them in person for hours. Thursday, other members of the extended family arrived, everyone in a happy mood, and Friday, under a beautiful blue sky, we all went to the commencement and cheered mightily as our grandson walked on stage, shook the president’s hand and received his sheepskin. 

We, of course, celebrated the rest of the day and well into the evening. It felt a little unreal to be casually chatting together after the year of pandemic isolation, something we would otherwise, in earlier times, so taken for granted.

Now came the tricky part: when to leave for the drive home through the midst of the holiday weekend. We had decided on Saturday, hoping that was a good travel day, when most people would already have gotten to their destinations and before they would have started to return. Picking up some provisions for the car ride, we filled the gas tank and left in the morning for home. There was never any serious traffic along the route. Score one for strategy, another for luck. And another for appreciation and gratitude for all that we would have simply accepted pre-pathogen as our due.

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Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn announced her bid to run for Congress on June 2. Photo from Hahn’s campaign office

As TBR News Media papers were going to press Wednesday, June 2, Suffolk County Legislator Kara Hahn (D-Setauket) was scheduled to discuss something big in the front courtyard of the Three Village Inn in Stony Brook later in the day.

Hahn, who is also deputy presiding officer of the county Legislature, announced in a press release June 2, her bid to be the next congresswoman for New York’s 1st Congressional District. The seat is currently held by U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin (R) who has his eyes on the New York State governor’s seat in 2022.

The June 2 event was organized for Hahn to make her first public remarks about her decision. When she was younger, Hahn was a waitress at the Three Village Inn.

She said in the press release she is running for Congress “to make an even greater impact for the community where she grew up and continues to raise her family today.”

“For too long, our community has paid the price for a representative in Washington who is more dedicated to partisan politics than the needs of this district,” Hahn said. “The cost of living on Long Island is squeezing students, workers and homeowners across this district, and it’s time we have a representative that’s laser-focused on building an economy that supports Suffolk County’s working families.”

In her time in the Legislature, Hahn has risen to the deputy presiding officer leadership post and her accomplishments include authoring laws to protect land and water from pollutants, leading the charge to confront Long Island’s opioid epidemic, and working to keep women and children safe from domestic abusers.

The legislator lives in Setauket with her husband Chris and two daughters. For more information on her campaign, visit www.karaforcongress.com.

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We are proud to present our second Times Beacon Record News Media Artist Coloring Book contest winners. Our intentions for the coloring book and contest was to offer our local art community grand exposure by fostering appreciation for the arts, as well as providing an enriching cultural experience for our audience.

We are grateful to Bank of America as our Coloring Book partner, to all the artists who contributed a beautiful gallery of sketches and to our coloring contest participants who submitted beautifully colored drawings, as well as our voters. Look for the winner’s colored masterpieces in select Bank of America financial centers.  To see the rest of the contestant’s entries, visit our TBR Facebook page: facebook.com/tbrbewsmedia and check out the photo galleries.

Congratulations to all our winners!

Category 1: Ages 5-12

Winner

 

Mia Radi

COLORIST 

Mia Radi, 5, Suffolk County
‘Nova’ by Marlene Bezich

1. What did you think of the coloring book?

 “It Looked Beautiful.”

2. Why did you select this drawing to color?

“I chose to color the doggie because my Nanny and Poppy have a doggie. Her name is Cali.”

3. What are your other hobbies?

“I like to play with Anthony. I love to play with my Mommy. I like to do Art.”

Marlene Bezich with her dog Nova

ARTIST 

Marlene Bezich, Port Jefferson

‘Nova’

1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?

“First of all for a five year old her color understanding is amazing!!!  Color is very important to me in my artwork, I love Mia’s color choices!  She has successfully juxtapositioned complimentary colors to create a delight to the eye!!!!  Under further examination I feel that wrapping Nova in an orange background gives Nova’s spirit a feeling of love and warmth.  Her blue face indications “true blue” loyalty, and her green chest a sign of rebirth!  I noticed she stayed well between the lines displaying a very organized personality!!! Her family should be truly proud of her!!!!”

2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“Nova is my sister’s dog who they rescued from the Brookhaven Town Shelter.  She is the sweetest most loyal companion anyone could want.  Her markings are stunning, so as an animal lover I just had to capture her!  Hopefully this should be an example of the many wonderful dogs and cats available for adoption!  They deserve a chance too!!”

3. What did you think of the coloring book?

“I loved the coloring book!!! So many different subjects and styles!!! I’m so proud to be among the many talented artists who participated.  A Big THANK YOU for including us!!!!!!!”

4. What are your other hobbies?

“I love gardening and cooking!”

Runner Up

 

Junior Rivas

COLORIST 

Junior Rivas, 11, Central Islip
‘KAMAHAMEHA!!!’ by Clara Heller

Why did you select this drawing to color?

“Out of all the pictures to choose from, this was my favorite because I like Dragon Ball Z and Goku.”

ARTIST

Clara Heller, Port Jefferson

‘KAMAHAMEHA!!!’

What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“I grew up drawing, and I grew up watching Toonami, especially Dragon Ball Z. I stopped drawing regularly as I got older, but when the pandemic hit and I suddenly had all this free time, I thought I’d give it another try. And what better subject than that of my favorite childhood anime! I’m just happy other people appreciate Goku as much as I do!”

Category 2: Ages 13-19

Winner
Rebecca Fear

COLORIST 

Rebecca Fear, 19, South Setauket
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’ by Iris Rosenhagen

1. What did you think of the coloring book?

“ I loved this coloring book because it included some beautiful pieces from different talented artists that brought a lot of positivity to me during this past year.”

2. Why did you select this drawing to color?

“I chose the piece Nature’s Healing Spirit because during this past year it’s important for everyone to find something to heal themselves during these difficult times. Through this coloring page I was able to use many vibrant colors and intricate detail. Coloring is relaxing for me and helped me heal during a stressful time. While coloring this page I had my newly adopted dog on my lap, which was also calming for me.”

3. What are your other hobbies?

“My other hobbies are singing, dancing, coloring, drawing, acting and volunteering.”

Iris Rosenhagen

ARTIST 

Iris Rosenhagen, Selden

‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’

1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?

“I love Rebecca’s use of jewel tones. The colors that she used and her out of the box thinking for how to apply them are very much how I envisioned it had I colored it.”

2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“The subject of my drawing was inspired by this past year. Everyone has faced many challenges and fortunately nature has been an incredibly therapeutic outlet for healing.”

3. What did you think of the coloring book?

“Everyone’s art is just so beautiful, and I’m honored to be a part of it. In addition to Mother Nature being one of the best healers, so is art, and it’s wonderful that the community had this opportunity to experience and create art together.”

4. What are your other hobbies?

“Some of my other hobbies include yoga, holistic healing, vegan cooking, eco-activism, birding, and hiking.”

Runner Up

COLORIST 

Ella Psaltos, 16, Port Washington
‘Let’s Clean Up!’ by Bina Firestone

Why did you select this drawing to color?

“I chose that image because it reminded me of an old cartoon.”

ARTIST 

Bina Firestone, Port Jefferson Station

‘Let’s Clean Up!’

What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“The drawing was from a watercolor I had recently completed. I had wanted to create a winter scene, but something different than a pristine and peaceful landscape. I started out with the idea of sending a snowplow through a residential neighborhood. Then I remembered how, after a snow, all the neighbors would emerge from their homes, and the street would become a hive of activity, so I added the people to the scene.”

Category 3: Ages 20+

Winner

COLORIST 

Hedi Flickstein, Coram
‘Lily’ by Christopher Reisman

1. What did you think of the coloring book?

“It was very good. I wish more of the drawings had white space to color.”

2. Why did you select this drawing to color?

“It was a very beautiful rendition of the picture. I wanted to add things like eyeshadow, lipstick and nail polish. She needed some beautification.”

3. What are your other hobbies?

“Senior groups, school related groups, Legislative groups, groups that help the handicapped.”

Christopher Reisman

ARTIST 

Christopher Reisman, Shoreham

‘Lily’

1. What did you like about the winning colorist’s submission?

“I love the  way the artist took Lily to a new look and dressed her up a bit. Fabulous!”

2. What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“My inspiration for the drawing came from a picture in the New York Times Magazine section several years ago. I fell in love with the pose and the mystique of the lady. I added the flowers and Lily was born.” 

3. What did you think of the coloring book?

“I think the coloring  book gives a wonderful view of fine art by Long Island artists. I think this should be very inspiring to a lot of people. What a great way to add more beauty into the world, which the world really needs.”

4. What are your other hobbies?

“My other hobbies are making music, sewing and gardening and taking care of our wonderful magic sanctuary every day. Actually my sewing is more than a hobby. It is a great creative  joyful experience for me to design and make one of a kind wearable art. I love it.”

Runner Up

COLORIST 

Evelyn Rose, 78, Smithtown
‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’ by Iris Rosenhagen

Why did you select this drawing to color?

“She was very whimsical!”

ARTIST 

Iris Rosenhagen

‘Nature’s Healing Spirit’

What was your inspiration for the drawing?

“In addition to being inspired by nature, I was inspired by the future colorists.  I love the idea of someone interacting with my art.  The opportunity of two creative energies coming together is so motivating to me.”

And there’s more! Six Long Island nonprofits, chosen by the winners & artists, will share $10,000 in community funding from Bank of America.

 

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